(Testimony of Bernice Waterman)
Mr. Dulles.
Geographical divisions?
Miss WATERMAN. Geographical divisions, yes.
Mr. Coleman.
Could you identify for the record who Miss V. James is?
Miss WATERMAN. Well, Virginia James, an officer in EE.
Mr. Coleman.
EE means?
Miss WATERMAN. Eastern Europe.
Mr. Coleman.
And SOV?
Miss WATERMAN. SOV, Soviet Division.
Mr. Coleman.
So the Commission Exhibit No. 961, which is a telegram----
Miss WATERMAN. Yes.
Mr. Coleman.
Indicates that the telegram was at least communicated to and cleared by the Soviet desk in Washington before it was sent out?
Miss WATERMAN. Well yes; I think that one reason that it was always cleared was that the geographic divisions were particularly interested in the wording of our replies. I think they just wanted the general idea of whether or not we were using the proper classification.
Mr. Coleman.
And in that telegram of November 2, 1959, you advised the Embassy in Moscow that if Oswald insisted on renouncing U.S. citizenship, that the statute precludes the Embassy from withholding his right to do so regardless of his application pending with the Soviet Government, is that correct?
Miss WATERMAN. Yes.
Mr. Coleman.
Now thereafter did you have anything else to do with the Oswald matter prior to March 1960? To help you, Miss Waterman, March 1960 was the time in which you prepared the refusal card.
Miss WATERMAN. Yes--refusal sheet.
Mr. Coleman.
Between sending this telegram on November 2, 1959, and March 1960, did you personally have any knowledge or anything else that was going on as far as Oswald was concerned?
Miss WATERMAN. Well, not certainly unless it is in the file. I would think that in the meantime we received some kind of further report from the Embassy, but I am not----
Mr. Coleman.
Well, we have had marked and put in the record the various reports that were received, and you say that as all the reports came in that you had opportunity to read them?
Miss WATERMAN. Yes; of course that isn't too long from the latter part of 1959 to 1960. Quite often in cases of this nature, the appropriate Embassy might submit reports which didn't need replies, just information submitted.
Mr. Coleman.
Well, there was a report submitted by the Embassy on November 2, 1959, which has already been identified as Commission Exhibit No. 958.
Miss WATERMAN. Yes.
Mr. Coleman.
And I assume that you received a copy or saw that report?
Miss WATERMAN. Yes; I did.
Mr. Coleman.
Then on or about March 25, 1960, you had occasion to prepare a card which has as its head the name or the word "Refusal."
Miss WATERMAN. That is not a card. That is a sheet.
Mr. Coleman.
That is a sheet which is marked as Commission Exhibit No. 962. Now will you indicate to the Commission the circumstances under which you prepared that card and why you prepared that card?
Miss WATERMAN. This was prepared after the receipt, I believe, of further correspondence from the Embassy, which indicated that Oswald was--that it would be possible that he might want to return to the United States. And it was customary to make this red refusal sheet in our office.
Mr. Coleman.
What was your office?
Miss WATERMAN. In the adjudication part of the office, to put a flag on the case for future reference.
Mr. Coleman.
After you made the refusal card which has been marked----
Miss WATERMAN. Not a card.
Mr. Coleman.
Pardon me, refusal sheet----
Miss WATERMAN. Refusal sheet.
Mr. Coleman.
Has been marked as Commission Exhibit No. 962, what would be the next step in the system to make sure that Mr. Oswald could not use
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